[1] One stated reason for creating the park is to protect forests of wild fruit trees, including apricots, barberry, cherries, and currants.

The park sits on the northern slope of the Dzungarian Alatau, a range between the Tian Shan to the south and the Altai Mountains to the north.

The park's terrain is mountainous with steep, rocky canyons and streams running from south to north.

Altitude zones cover desert, grassland, shrub, forest, meadow and alpine floral communities.

The flora of the Zhetysu Alatau Mountains (the range covered by the park) includes 2,168 species of vascular plants, in 112 families and 622 genera.